Aqib Talib appreciates what he gained in New England

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. — The marriage between Aqib Talib and the Patriots didn’t last long — only a year and a half. But the relationship was mutually beneficial.

Mark Daniels Journal Sports Writer MarkDanielsPJ

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. — The marriage between Aqib Talib and the Patriots didn’t last long — only a year and a half. But the relationship was mutually beneficial.

When the cornerback came to New England, he was Tampa Bay’s talented, but troubled problem child and was in the process of serving a four-game suspension for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy. At that point, the former first-round pick had never materialized into the Pro-Bowler that many thought he could be.

Instead, Talib’s career with the Buccaneers was marred by controversy. After getting drafted, in 2008, he got into a fight at the NFL Rookie Symposium with his new Buccaneers teammate Cory Boyd. The next year, he was arrested and accused battering a taxi driver. In 2011, he was accused of firing a gun at his sister’s boyfriend. Charges were later dropped.

But after a season and a half in Foxboro, Talib’s slate was wiped clean. He stayed out of trouble and helped transform the Patriots woeful secondary while earning Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors. He parlayed his time with Patriots to a six-year, $57-million contract ($26 million guaranteed) with the Denver Broncos.

The new contract might’ve been one of the reason Talib was all smiles on Tuesday, attending the football camp that he and former teammate Aaron Dobson put on at Merrimack College. When asked what his time with the Patriots meant to him, the cornerback didn’t hold back.

Talib might be gone, but he hasn’t forgotten what becoming a Patriot did for him.

“It meant a lot, man,” Talib said. “I learned a lot. I learned a lot just about being a professional. Learned from Bill [Belichick], seeing how Bill ran his building. It was a wonderful experience for me.”

As much as the experience in Gillette Stadium helped him, Talib’s ability in the secondary changed a lot for the Patriots. The team finished 18th last season in passing defense, allowing 239 passing yards per game. They were 29th in 2012, 31st in 2011 and 30th in 2010.

The cornerback’s ability to cover anyone, on either side of the field, played perfectly in Belichick’s defense.

Talib’s presence in the locker room meant nearly as much as his play on the field. He fit perfectly in with a close group of defensive backs, particularly Devin McCourty, Kyle Arrington and Alfonzo Dennard.

Dennard also came out to see his former teammate Tuesday in North Andover.

The short reunion was only a prelude to the Patriots matchup with the Broncos in November, in Week Nine. After trying to defend Tom Brady in practice, Talib said he’s looking forward to playing against the quarterback in a game. But before kickoff, he’ll be joking around with several teammates, including McCourty, Dobson and Vince Wilfork.

“Definitely. Definitely. That’s the fun part,” Talib said. “Get to laugh, smile and joke with Dev and Vince and Dob before the game. Then we’re going to get it in, you know, football.”

When Talib signed with the Broncos, on March 11, the divorce from the Patriots wasn’t a bitter one. The Pats signed Darrelle Revis the following day. In the end, Talib got what he wanted and the Pats still ended up with an All-Pro cornerback.

It didn’t take long for Talib to switch allegiances. He told the NFL Network in May that he thought Peyton Manning was better than Brady and reiterated on Tuesday how much he’s enjoyed his time out West.

“It’s good. It’s definitely good work. Definitely good work over there,” Talib said. “Every day it’s either Demaryius Thomas or Emmanuel Sanders coming out there, so it’s definitely good work. Peyton, the quarterback, a lot of fun. It’s a great locker room. I have no complaints.”

The experience in Denver has already been different for Talib following organized team activities and minicamp. He can speak more freely in Denver than he ever could in New England.

When he signed in March, he told the media that the Patriots basically lied when they listed him having a hip injury, saying, “The Patriots have their way of reporting stuff, but I haven’t had a hip problem since Tampa. The injury I had was actually a quad injury. It was reported as a hip injury, but that’s how they do things.”

He said Tuesday that his new coach, John Fox, is a lot different than Belichick.

“Yeah, definitely. Definitely,” Talib said. “Fox is a little more hands-on. A little louder at practice. It’s a good thing. I love being over there.”

That’s not a slight to Belichick or the Patriots. After all, following his stint in New England, Talib’s a new man, and he has a new contract to show for it.

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